Method of making dress-forms



. (NModeL) 4 M. W. HENIUS.

METHOD OF MAKING muss FORMS. I

No. 3"72,909. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

'UNITED. STATES PATENT Orrreia. I

MAX 7. HENIUS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

METHOD OF MAKING DRESS-FORMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,909, dated November 8, 1887,

Application filed January 3, 1887. Serial No. 223,295. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, llIAX W. HENIUS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Bridge-- port, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress-Forms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

, My invention relates to the manufacture of dress-forms or bosom-pads; and has for its general objects to cheapen, and at the sanie.

[5 time to improve their general construction.

With these ends in view I have devised the novel construction, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, numbers being used to indicate the several parts.

Figure l is an elevation from the inner side, and Fig. 2 a crosssection of the form or pad, illustrating one mode in which I have carried my invention into effect; Fig. 3, an elevation from the inner side, and Fig. 4 a cross-section of the pad, illustrating another mode in which I have carriedmy invention into effect; Fig. 5, an elevation from the inner side, partlybroken away, and Fig. 6 a crosssectiomtaken horizontally to Fig. 5, of another mode in which I have carried my invention into effect; Fig. 7, a cross-section of still another mode in which I have carried my invention into effect; Fig. 8, an elevation from the outer side, illustrating a pair of forms or pads connected by a strip of textile material, and Figs. 9 and 1.0 are respectively an elevation from the inner side and a vertical section illustrating my preferred mode of holding the forms or pads in position in use, each form or pad being provided with a flexible strip or bone-wire which is adaptedto pass down inside of the corset and to hold the form firmly in place.

The essential principle of the first portion of my invention is, that I mold the forms or pads in dies, stretching the material to the desired shape without notching, cutting, or folding it in the slightest, and without wrinkles in the completed forms. This may be done in either hot or cold dies, preferably the former,

the material of which the form is made being other.

thoroughly moistened so that it will stretch, the forming or shaping being entirely accomplished by the dies, and the forms or pads be ing preferably dried while still in the dies. 5 In the mode of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the form consists solely of a body, 1, of canvas or other suitable material, which is stayed orsupported by ribs 2, cross ing each other at the center. These supports or ribs may. of course be made of metal, reeds, stiff paper, twin wires, or any suitable material. They are preferably placed in the dies or molds with the piece of canvas to form the body, and are curved to the desired shape at the same time that the body is stretched. 3 denotes tabs which are left upon the piece 1 of canvas forming the body and are turnedin Ward over the ends of the ribs to cover them, as clearly shown in'Figs. 1 and 2, in which position they are secured by eyelets 4, which pass through the piece of canvas, the supports or ribs, and the tabs.

In the mode of construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the tabs are dispensed with, and the ends of the ribs and edges of the body are covered, secured together, and held in position by a binding, 5, around the edge of the form or pad, which may be stitched in place, if preferred, but is ordinarily held in place by eyeleting to the ribs, as shown in said figures.

In the mode of construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 an outer piece, 6, of a finer grade of textile material,is first placed in the dies or molds, then a number of ribs or stays, 7, placed l in the dies and so arranged as not to cross each These ribs or stays are preferably made of stifi' paper, reed, or whalebone. Outside of ribs 7, in the dies,a body, 1, of canvas is placed,

as before. The form or pad,when made in this manner, is shaped by the dies or molds in the same manner as before, and the several parts are held in place by a binding, 5, eyeleted to the form or pad, as before.

In the mode of construction illustrated in Fig. 7, instead of ribs to support and strengthen the form or pad, I use a piece of hair-cloth, 8, which is placed in the dies in the same manner as ribs 7, and stretched into shape when they are closedtogether. Forms or pads made in this manner may be used in the manufacture of corsets,0r may be used independently to give the desired fullness to the dress at the bust. In Fig. 8 I have shown a pair of pads as connected by a strip, 9, of textile material.

The second portion of my invention consists in providing the independent forms or pads with a more or less flexible holding-strip, 10, which is adapted to pass down inside of the corset and support the form or pad in position in use. This strip may of course be made of any suitable material, and is preferably covered with paper or cloth and capped at the lower end.

The strip may of course be made independently and riveted or otherwise secured to the form or pad, although I preferably make it continuous with one of the ribs, as shown.

It will of course be understood that the details of construction may be varied within reasonable limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim, 1. The improvement in the art of making dress-forms or bosom-pads, comprising a body material and supports therefor, which consists in moistening the material of the body of the form and stretching it to the desired shape without cutting or folding in any way, shaping the support therefor at the same time and then securing the body and support together.

2. The method of making dress-forms,comprising a body material and supports therefor, which consists in moistening the material of the body and stretching it to the desired shape without cutting or folding, curving the supports or ribs therefor at the same time,covering the ends of the supports, and finally securing the body, supports, and the cover for the ends thereof together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

MAX W. HENIUS. "Witnesses:

A. M. WoosTER, A. B. FAIROHILD. 

